Product-Led Transformation in a Project-Heavy WorlD
- Darren Emery
- Apr 28
- 4 min read
Why speed, structure, and customer obsession are the new currency of value.
Why This Article Matters
If your organisation can’t pivot quickly, your competitors will - and when they do, they’ll win.
It’s not a scare tactic. It’s the reality facing any executive trying to deliver value through slow, static, project-led ways of working.
The world isn’t waiting. Neither should you.
The Imperative of Product Transformation
Let’s not sugar-coat it: the world is moving faster than your Gantt chart.
Customer expectations are evolving in real time. Technology cycles are shortening. Competitors - old and new - are reshaping markets overnight. And yet, too many organisations are still trying to keep up using models designed for predictability, not adaptability.
The traditional project model - defined by timelines, milestones, and delivery checklists - was built for stability. But today’s business environment is defined by volatility, ambiguity, and complexity.
To keep pace and stay relevant, companies must deliver continuously, not occasionally.
That means:
Smaller bets. Faster feedback.
Fewer handovers. More ownership.
Less guessing. More discovery.
It means becoming product-led.
Beyond Projects: The Shift in Thinking
Let’s break it down.
Project-led thinking is finite. It’s about launching something, declaring success, and moving on - regardless of whether it actually worked for the customer.
Product-led thinking, on the other hand, is about building value iteratively and continuously. It’s customer-obsessed, data-informed, and relentlessly focused on outcomes over outputs.
Projects | Products |
Deliverables and milestones | Feedback loops and iteration |
Predefined scope | Evolving needs |
Task-oriented delivery teams | Empowered, cross-functional teams |
Success = on-time, on-budget | Success = value delivered, problem solved |
The punchline? Project-heavy thinking rewards activity. Product-led thinking rewards impact.
Real-World Examples: A Shift in Motion
From Gaming Side Project to Global Workplace Tool: Slack
Slack didn’t start as a communication platform. It was a side project for a failing video game. But through user discovery and rapid iteration, it pivoted into a tool that redefined workplace communication.
Why did it win? Because it was shaped by real user feedback, not just internal plans. It was a product, not a project.
From Hierarchy to Agility: ING Bank
Think financial services can’t adapt? ING would disagree.
The Dutch bank undertook a radical transformation, breaking down silos and moving from project-based structures to empowered, cross-functional product teams.
The results speak for themselves:
🚀 40% faster time to market
📈 24-35% increase in productivity
❤️ 20% improvement in NPS
💰 15% drop in operational costs
And the momentum continued:
Over 1.1 million new mobile primary customers
€28B in net core lending growth
7% YoY growth in core deposits
ING embedded compliance into iterative cycles, renewed its culture, and built stronger customer relationships - all without abandoning the rigour required in a regulated industry.
If ING, a massive institution in a traditionally slow-moving industry like banking, can transform with speed and agility, what’s stopping you?
Why This Shift Matters for Executives
This is more than a delivery change. It’s a strategic one.
According to McKinsey, companies that adopt agile, product-led models experience significant improvements in time to market and customer satisfaction.
(Source: McKinsey - The impact of agility: How to shape your Organisation to compete | McKinsey)
Product-led organisations:
Ship faster
Learn faster
Waste less
Delight more
They also drive growth in a way project-heavy organisations can’t. Why? Because they put customer problems, not timelines, at the centre.
As product thought leader Marty Cagan puts it:
“The only way to build successful products is to obsess over the problem, not the solution.”
You can’t solve customer problems if you’re too busy reporting red/amber/green status to a steering committee. Being on time and on budget doesn’t matter if the result doesn’t work for the customer.
Outcome over output. Problem-solving over project-planning.
The Role Table: Making the Shift Real
This isn’t just a mindset shift - it’s a structural one. Here's how roles need to evolve:
Role | Project Model | Product Model |
Product Leader | Delivery manager | Vision-owner, outcome-driven |
Stakeholder | Approval authority | Feedback partner, continuously engaged |
Team | Task executors in temporary groups | Empowered, cross-functional, stable teams |
Development | Technical execution | Co-creators of innovation, embedded in customer value |
Customer | Consulted post-launch | Engaged throughout the lifecycle |
And a warning from Cagan:
“Without the right culture and empowerment, your product team is nothing more than a group of people working on features that no one really wants.”
Risk Management and Mitigation: Avoiding the Pitfalls
Let’s not be naïve. This kind of transformation is hard - and messy.
What Gets in the Way?
Cultural Resistance - legacy habits and leadership inertia
Fragmented Processes - disconnected teams and tools
Role Confusion - unclear ownership, fuzzy accountability
How to Navigate It:
Leadership Alignment - change starts at the top
Break the Silos - cross-functional is non-negotiable
Create a Learning Culture - reward discovery, not just delivery
Transformation is not a linear path - but neither is innovation.
What to Ask: “How do we define success - by shipping features or solving real customer problems?”
What to Watch: Team empowerment, discovery cadence, cross-functional alignment.
What to Challenge: Any metric that celebrates delivery without customer impact.
“You don’t need more reports. You need real signals from the customer.”
Final Thoughts: Product-Led Isn’t Just for Silicon Valley
If you’re in banking, fintech, gaming, insurance, or telco, this isn’t theory - it’s a practical necessity.
Being product-led means:
Structuring around long-term value, not short-term deliverables
Aligning roles to own outcomes, not just check boxes
Building a culture of exploration, iteration, and accountability
Because here’s the real choice in front of you:
Embrace product-led transformation and build a resilient, customer-centric future
Or keep running traditional projects - until your customers, talent, and market share slip quietly away
The biggest risk? Waiting.
